My best friend recently moved into a new house with her, two cats lucky and midnight they have been living there for about 4 months, but they have had some problems with their cat Midnight urinated in my friends room and lucky pooped in her sisters room (among other like things). my friends parents have decided to PUT BOTH OF THEM DOWN on tuesday. please help me i dont want that to happen. lucky is 9 and midnight is 7 they got both of them as kittens and they get along fine with eachother and their golden retrever who they have had for about two years and is about 3 ish
HELP ME
thanks
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URGENT LIFE AND DEATH
apteryxaustralis
Sep 03, 2005 05:52 PM
Replies (2)
PHAbymom
Sep 04, 2005 12:57 AM
First, and most critical, if the behavior started some time after the move, then the cats need a vet check to see if there is a medical reason for the change in behavior.
Most cats hate change. Moving is a traumatic experience for them. If this behavior started right after the move, I would think it is from the stress and upset caused by the change.
There is another possibility...if other animals had lived in the house prior to Lucky and Midnight, it's possible they are using spots that were previously used by other animals.
Remember, most cats are very particular about their space and will usually use their litterboxes. If the cause is not medical in nature, then they can be re-trained. They should be confined to a small room (extra bath or powder rooms are good) with their food and litterboxes and allowed to adjust to that area for a day or so, then allowed out to become familiar with other parts of the house a room at a time.
Meanwhile your friends need to clean the soiled areas well and use an enzymatic cleaner to remove all trace of the scent.
PHMadameAlto
Sep 05, 2005 08:37 PM
Here are some words of advice that may help...
The cat needs to go to the vet for a check up ASAP. Very often this is what causes cats to urinate and poop in inappropirate places.
If all is clear on the health front, then the problem is behavioral. Have there been any changes in the cat's environment? Even the silliest change can cause a cat to react by not using the box! Rearranged furniture, a new cat prowling through the yard, new family member or other human living with you? New paint, wallpaper?
At any rate, you will need to take steps to retrain the cat to the box. Basically you need to confine the cat to a room like a bathroom, or a large cage with only food, water, bedding and the litterbox. As he begins to use the litterbox consistantly you can expand his space. There is more information at this link:
Litterbox Problems
Cats need easy access to boxes and you may need to put several boxes around the house.Be sure to keep all boxes very, very clean. Scoop at least once a day!
You need to thoroughly deodorize wherever the cat has been peeing or pooping. Petastic is highly recommended as is Heaven's Own. It is the smell of the "accidents" that causes a cat to reuse the place.
Check into using Feliway, a spray that mimics the happy scent cats leave when they rub their check against something. You can get it from your vet or from Cat Faeries at http://www.catfaeries.com
If you visit the website, you will see a phone number that you can call and for a fee discuss your cat's problems with someone. The person who does this is very knowlegeable and it may be worth the $$ for you. Feliway is also available in most large pet supply stores. There is also a plug-in with Feliway that can help.
Finally, if all else fails, ask you vet about using an antianxiety medication such as Buspar or Prozac. These very often work, however the decision to prescribe them will rest solely with your veterinarian who will be able to monitor the dosage and side effects.
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